Rainstorms, Teddy Bears, and Macaroni and Cheese!

It feels like we've all the sudden hit a "fast track" of some kind in Annalyn's developement. She suprises me everyday, it seems, with something new! She's learned to hand items to me when I ask for them (and sometimes when I don't). She has started signing "more" at mealtimes, and attempted eating with a spoon a couple of times.

The other day we were at the neighbors' house hanging out, when their dad got home. Annalyn walked toward the door and said, "Hi" as plain as day. She did it several more times upon request and suprised me with her "Hi" again when we answered a video chat with my family. How smart! Today I asked her to get her "teddy bear" and she walked into the other room, got it, and brought it back to me! It's amazing how much she understands!! These are just a few of many new fun things - I just can't believe she's almost a year old! She still loves saying "daddy" and "doggy" and has even thrown a few "ma ma"s in there just for me!

Oh she is a joy and I love her so much!

A few things she likes right now are:

Being Outside...ALL THE TIME! And she usually wants to "walk herself" - it's not as much fun to sit in the stroller anymore.

Her "teddy bears" (we haven't named them yet. Thanks to the Williams for the white one and Aunt Glenda for the brown one. Crazy that they are the same bear, but came from two different people in two different states!) SHE LOVES THEM!

She sleeps hugging them every night, and she loves to chew on them and carry them around.

Loves her trike from G & G Oldham!

Loves Macaroni and Cheese (just food in general, really)

Notice how she hooks her toes onto the tray while she eats.

P.S. Does anyone read this? Sometime I feel like I'm posting for myself (which isn't all bad of course), but sometime I wonder...

Random Assortment of Videos

Here is a video of Annalyn when she was just learning how to walk! Now a month later she's dancing (cudos to whoever can name that song...), talking, and walking!! She can now say "Dad" and "Dog" (although the 'g' sound is silent *haha*). Remember that scowl I was talking about? Here's a little taste of it too!

Best Days of my Life!

This is a post all about - what else - my little girl!

Annalyn is 10 months old today!

She is my joy and the light of my life! Just look at those precious cheeks ;-)

These are her 9-month pictures.

As for some updates: At her 9-month appointment she was

20lbs 11oz. - 74th percentile

28 1/2 inches - 94th percentile

14 1/2 inch head - 54th percentile

She started walking during Christmas a few steps here and there.

4 weeks later she's walking EVERYWHERE! She can toddle all the way from the kitchen to the living room without falling down!

She can give kisses (pressing her lips to my cheek),

and she's just learned to wave "bye bye!"

Along with being EVERYWHERE, she into EVERYTHING! She can open all the cupboards in the kitchen and most often proceeds to pull everything out of the cupboard and climb into the empty space herself. I've started designating a couple cupboards as hers, but keeping her out of the rest is a full-time job. I can now see the wisdom in those cupboard locks!
Here's my Annalyn at 8-months in her Christmas dress.

She's developed quite a fiesty attitude and personality lately. Her newest development is that she learned how to scowl - yes that's right - my smiley happy Annalyn is scowling all the time. It's so funny to watch her try to keep the scowl on her face when I'm making her laugh.

She has 6 teeth and is eating EVERYTHING. She now wants to eat what mommy's eating ALL THE TIME! If I try to feel her from a baby food bowl she'll refuse, but if I put the same food in a glass bowl like mine she'll eat it no problem. Man, she is so smart! She also likes to feed herself - especially veggies. If I feed her a green bean from a spoon, she'll spit it out, pick it up with her fingers and then eat it "herself."

She started biting a lot also. She bit her little friend at church a couple weeks ago and made her cry. When I'm holding her she always tries to bite my collarbone - man that HURTS! We're working on that one - any advice? She also started biting the crib so I spent the last week+ sewing teething covers to protect the nice crib and a new crib bumper and curtains. I figured if I was going to start, I may as well go all the way and decorate the whole thing. Pictures will be coming soon. Stay tuned!

All in all, my sweet girl brings me so much joy. My favorite pasttime these days is to just sit and watch her play and discover. I'm so grateful to have my little girl!

Thanks heaven for little girls...

Me and my sweet Annalyn right after I got my wisdom teeth removed. She was so sweet while I recovered - she played by herself and was so nice to my friends who came to help me out.
Sherise means "chipmunk" in Ancient Phoenician - didn't you know?

My sweet girl right after we went on a walk. She came strait inside and wanted to play with her tricycle. Look at all those teeth!

I love her cheeks!

And here are a couple videos for you enjoyment. Annalyn is growing so fast. Here's just a little taste of her fiesty personality and mad skills!

The Last Month of our Lives...

The Oldhams: Travis, Sherise & Annalyn

Christmas Morning 2009

San Antonio Texas

Thanks to Jeff, Nell and Kaitlyn for letting us come stay the week of Christmas! It was so great to spend the time together with family!

Here's Annalyn opening her new baby doll! Look at that face!
Annalyn showing off her new Christmas Jammies!
Sherise's Christmas! Travis took me to see "The Lion King" musical christmas day! It was indescribable! I was blown away at the costumes and loved every minute of it! What a great Christmas memory with my sweetheart! Thanks babe!
Annalyn on her new trike from Grandpa and Grandma O.
She loves to push it around the living room.
Sea World San Antonio!! Wow the world of animals is so much more fun when you have a little one to share it with! Annalyn was enthrawled the whole time we were there!

Annalyn having a little drink before watching the Shamu "Christmas Miracles" show!
It was a pretty chilly day for Texas, but enjoyable none the less.
Annalyn just stared and stared. She couldn't take her eyes off the whales! She didn't cry or whine or try to get down the whole 30 minutes which I think is a record of some sort ;-)

And after a long day this is what we ended up with...awww...Annalyn loved playing with her big cousin Kaitlyn! You got along so well for the most part...even when Kaitlyn would sit on Annalyn and try to ride her like a horse (it was so funny)
New Years Day!!! Here's Mommy and Annalyn helping daddy take down the Christmas lights. Okay we just watched, but we looked so cute we had to get a picture.
My sweet baby! She cut tooth #5 and tooth #6 during the Christmas holidays. Look at that smile!

Just me and my dad...me and my bestest buddy!
My New Years shirt! Mom and dad made me go to bed at normal time on New Year Eve...bummer.

Travis and I had a quite New Years Eve at home. We played several two player games and read a book out loud to each other (a favorite pasttime of ours - I'm getting quite good at my different voices if I can say so myself...you'll have to ask Travis for a real unbiased opiniont though. Maybe I really stink and I just don't know it ;-) Then we had some Sparkling Cider on the rocks to ring in the new year (1/2 hour early cuz we were tired) and we went to bed. It was actually really nice to just spend some time together.

Annalyn and Daddy playing with her new blocks/legos! Daddy made her a giraffe and 10 seconds after the picture was snapped she demolished it! So fun!

Well that's a quick update. There's more to come soon.

For those who didn't get it...

MERRY "LATE" CHRISTMAS

AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Daddy is learning how to post today....

A few stairs at Danielle's house...check!
The totes that Mom and Dad placed in front of the tree to protect it...check!
I think I'm ready for the Grand Teton.